Are these the Weirdest Interview Stories?

We’ve probably all been there, sitting in an interview either as the candidate or the employer and thinking “this has got to be the worst interview ever” and wanting the ground to swallow you up whole (or swallow the other person!). Thankfully though, for many people, this is a situation faced only a few times in their entire career.

Throughout my career within IT Sales recruitment however, I’ve been involved with 10000’s of interviews and many successful placements with some of the world’s most exciting and innovative technology vendors. Not every interview has gone as smoothly as we would like… and here are a few stories of the most memorable and remarkable ones I can remember…

1) FIGHT!!

We used to share a building with a number of other businesses… however things obviously got a bit heated in the office next door, where a fight broke out between two members of their staff, came crashing through the partition wall, and had to be broken up by our client!

2) FANCY A DRINK?

One hiring manager was only in the UK for a couple of days, and thought he’d make the most of it before heading back to the States. However, it turned more into a holiday… when he offered candidates shots of tequila throughout the interview. Whether any candidates took him up on the offer though, I’m not too sure!

3) LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

Technology is supposed to be an energetic, creative and innovative space, however when one meeting was moved to a chip shop, it was met by some surprise by the candidates and didn’t quite have that cutting-edge feel. Maybe they were ‘battered’ (sorry).

4) BEHIND EVERY ACTION IS A STORY.

One company didn’t want to take any risks with their candidates, so after a 10 stage process – the candidate was subject to a lie detector test, as well as psychological evaluation. Luckily, he passed and got the job!

5) Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Jet lag can be a pain, and so falling asleep during a panel meeting may be understandable. However one hiring manager had narcolepsy and didn’t tell the candidates he was interviewing, just to see how they would react! How he kept a straight face I never know.

These are only a few stories, but I’m sure there are lots more that we’ve all either experienced or heard of!